WORCESTER, Mass. - Lafayette's Tom Perini scored the game-winning goal with 49 seconds left in the second half to break an 8-8 tie as the Holy Cross men's lacrosse team fell to Lafayette, 9-8, on Saturday afternoon at the Hart Turf Field in Patriot League action. With the loss, the Crusaders fall to 3-7 overall (0-6 Patriot League), while the Leopards improve to 4-6 overall (1-3 Patriot League). Junior Luke Marchand (Concord, Mass.) and freshman Colin Flood (Bay Shore, N.Y.) each scored three goals and had one assist for Holy Cross.

Senior Toby Banta (Melrose, Mass.) and sophomore Edison Parzanese (Edgartown, Mass.) each had one goal and two assists.

Lafayette was led by Steve Serling's four goals.

The Leopards took a 2-0 lead early in the first period before Banta made it a 2-1 game. After Lafayette increased its lead to 3-1, Parzanese scored a man-up goal with 2:06 remaining in the first period to make the score 3-2. Just 11 seconds into the second period Flood tied the game at 3-3, but Andrew Horton then gave the Leopards back the lead at 4-3. Holy Cross then finished the second period with three straight goals to take a 6-4 for lead into half time. Flood scored two in a row and Marchand scored with 1:33 left in the half.

Each team scored two goals in the third period as Serling scored two for Lafayette and Marchand scored both of Holy Cross' goals as the Crusaders took a 8-6 lead into the fourth period. Lafayette then scored the only three goals of the period for the 9-8 victory, including Perini's game-winner.

Holy Cross junior goalie Jimmy Harrison (East Williston, N.Y.) made 17 saves, while Jeff Canfield made 11 saves in 55:07 and Vinny DePasquale made one save in 4:53 for Lafayette. The Leopards had 33 shots and the Crusaders had 30, while Lafayette had 28 ground balls and Holy Cross had 26.

The Crusaders return to action on Saturday, April 12, when they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to meet Marist at 1:00 p.m.